Zhou Xu knelt down again, head bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, I beg you to find a place for my aunt to stay."
Xiu'er said, "Why are you pushing your luck? After arranging accommodations, do you want Her Majesty to send someone to protect your aunt?"
You can't be a good person.
Being a good person just leads to people taking advantage of you.
Zhou Xu said, "That's exactly what I was thinking."
Xiu'er: "..."
This was the first time she had ever met someone so shameless!
"You say you're useful to Her Majesty," Xiu'er couldn't help but retort, "But so far, you haven't shown Her Majesty any use, yet you keep making demands."
What, do you think the Empress is foolish?
Even if the Empress makes a foolish mistake, she's always the shrewd one around!
Tang Zhuyun said, "Helping you save people is, to be modest, a piece of cake. But as for your resettlement... are you sure you're worth me turning against the Governor's Mansion for?"
Zhou Xu asked, "Your Highness, are you sure that the Prince and the Governor's Mansion haven't fallen out yet?"
"What do you mean by that?" Tang Zhuyun asked calmly, her eyes distant.
"Your Highness, does the Prince intend to consolidate his military power on this trip?" Zhou Xu said calmly.
"Go on."
"But the Zhou Family has no intention of giving it to you. Your Highness is likely to miscalculate."
"Yeah?"
Although Tang Zhuyun appeared calm, her heart was in turmoil.
Before coming to the Northwest, Tang Zhuyun sensed that the Prince of Jin had indeed overestimated his influence here.
From her perspective, at least for now, the Zhou Family doesn't seem so honest.
The Zhou Family's current attitude is not to cooperate with him in consolidating military power, but rather to challenge him.
Zhou Xu's words undoubtedly and precisely pointed to Tang Zhuyun's hidden worries.
"Yes," Zhou Xu nodded firmly, "Your Majesty need not doubt it."
"Then what can you do?" Xiu'er asked.
She could tell that Tang Zhuyun didn't want to be controlled by Zhou Xu, but what the latter said was indeed something that interested her, so she asked on her behalf.
"Your Majesty, please allow me a moment to speak," Zhou Xu said, glancing at Concubine Yu.
Tang Zhuyun went out with her.
Xiu'er naturally followed—she still had to be constantly on guard, as Zhou Xu might be a threat to the Empress!
The lanterns under the eaves swayed wildly in the wind, causing the candlelight to flicker.
Zhou Xu stroked the carved pillars and said in a very low voice, "Has Your Highness heard the Prince mention Wu Zhenhai?"
Tang Zhuyun: "No."
Prince of Jin rarely mentioned outside affairs, after all, she was pregnant and he couldn't worry about her too much.
Xiu'er muttered to herself, "This name sounds familiar... Maybe it's one of his female relatives? Has she been to the banquet before?"
Tang Zhuyun said to Zhou Xu, "Just tell me directly, I'll believe you for now."
"He was someone my grandfather relied on very much," Zhou Xu said. "The prince wants to consolidate military power, and he is very useful."
"What's your relationship with him?" Tang Zhuyun scrutinized her with sharp eyes.
A self-deprecating glint appeared in Zhou Xu's eyes. "He and I have some shady dealings."
"Your lover?" Xiu'er was stunned.
Zhou Xu nodded.
Tang Zhuyun: "..."
You two are quite something, one dares to ask, and the other dares to answer.
"Right now, he likes me a lot, and maybe a little whispering in his ear can help," Zhou Xu said. "But with this kind of relationship, I have no way to prove it, and it's difficult to prove it quickly."
Therefore, she needs some time.
"Your Highness, please trust me. If I dare to entrust my concubine to you, then I have the ability to help you!"
The implication is that keeping the Concubine Yu as a "hostage" is a way of saying that.
Tang Zhuyun said, "How would I know that you didn't leave your aunt behind to frame me and seduce the Zhou Family's aunt?"
Xiu'er chimed in, "That's right. Besides, you yourself said there's no way to prove it, so why should Her Majesty believe you?"
Zhou Xu knelt down. "Your Majesty, I was able to leave the backyard in the middle of the night with someone's help. Wu Zhenhai is still waiting for me. If you are worried, you can have a guard follow me secretly."
Xiu'er said, "Going to watch you two commit adultery? You're quite bold."
Zhou Xu said self-deprecatingly, "Besides my aunt, I have nothing left, including my face."
"You're a ruthless person," Xiu'er said.
"Thank you for the compliment, Madam Song. Some people can't survive without being ruthless."
For example, her.
"Or, having a daughter as good as you would be good too," Xiu'er said.
Zhou Xu said, "My aunt became like this because of me. She tried to kill herself many times, but later, people often used me to threaten her, so she didn't dare to die anymore."
They, mother and daughter, were each other's only connection in this world.
It was because Concubine Yu gave her so much love that she reciprocated with the same love.
"You can't even describe the relationships within your family yourself. Don't you find it strange?" Xiu'er asked.
In normal families, although there is a difference between legitimate daughters and illegitimate daughters, they are both masters.
The illegitimate daughter has gone to such extremes, and nobody cares?
"It's strange," Zhou Xu said, "Because my father also hates me, and wishes he could join them in humiliating me."
Why is that?
Tang Zhuyun also found it strange.
My daughter is my own flesh and blood.
"I don't know," Zhou Xu said, "But that's how it is."
After pondering for a moment, Tang Zhuyun said, "I agree, but your aunt cannot be placed in the Prince's mansion."
"Of course." Zhou Xu was overjoyed and took out a silver note from her sleeve. "Thank you for your trouble, Your Highness."
Xiu'er took it and was quite surprised to see that it was a thousand taels.
"Wu Zhenhai has never shortchanged me when it comes to money."
"How long have you been with him?" Xiu'er asked.
"It's been over a year. I was young before... I only started seducing him after I turned fifteen."
Tang Zhuyun wanted to say, "Miss, can we talk about something?"
While the facts may indeed be this rough, at least you're talking about yourself, not criticizing others. Couldn't you at least try to embellish them a little?
Xiu'er: "You're quite something, you hooked up with someone useful."
"If it's about seduction, why seduce someone useless?"
Xiu'er was speechless.
Tang Zhuyun said, "Alright, you can go back now. I'll believe you for now! Zhou Xu, if you're lying, you'd better keep lying."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Zhou Xu kowtowed three times.
She went in and told Concubine Yu about it.
Concubine Yu held her hand tightly, refusing to let go, "Xu'er, you stay with Auntie, you stay with Auntie..."
Zhou Xu let go of her hand, gritted her teeth, and walked out.
Concubine Yu cried so hard it was heartbreaking to hear.
But Zhou Xu did not turn around.
Because she knew that turning back would be useless.
She was determined to work hard for the future of both herself and her daughter.
Tang Zhuyun arranged for someone to settle Concubine Yu in temporarily, and they would find another place to settle her in the morning.
Although she felt a pang of sadness, she was still anxious to go back and see the Prince of Jin.
On the way back, Xiu'er suddenly slapped her thigh. "Oh my, Your Majesty, I remember now! Good heavens!"